Battery system housing with fastener

Abstract

A battery pack for an electric vehicle is disclosed. The battery pack includes an upper tray, a first busbar attached to the upper tray, a lower tray, and a second busbar attached to the lower tray. The battery pack also includes a plurality of battery cells arranged in the upper and lower trays, and a threaded fastener mechanically connecting the lower tray to the upper tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A battery pack for an electric vehicle, the battery pack comprising:
 an upper tray; 
 a first busbar attached to the upper tray; 
 a lower tray; 
 a second busbar attached to the lower tray; 
 a plurality of battery cells arranged in the upper and lower trays; and 
 a threaded fastener mechanically connecting the lower tray to the upper tray, wherein threads of the threaded fastener are threaded into and directly engage either of the lower tray and the upper tray, and wherein the threaded fastener is adjacent to more than four of the battery cells. 
 
     
     
       2. The battery pack of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded fastener is configured to connect the lower tray to the upper tray with a protrusion. 
     
     
       3. The battery pack of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is configured to transfer a vertical force between the upper and lower trays. 
     
     
       4. The battery pack of  claim 3 , wherein while the protrusion transfers the vertical force between the upper and lower trays, the battery cells transfer substantially no force between the upper and lower trays. 
     
     
       5. The battery pack of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is at least partly integrated with the lower tray. 
     
     
       6. The battery pack of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is at least partly integrated with the upper tray. 
     
     
       7. The battery pack of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is separate from the upper and lower trays. 
     
     
       8. A method of manufacturing a battery pack for an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
 attaching a busbar to an upper tray; 
 attaching first sides of a plurality of battery cells to the upper tray; 
 attaching a busbar to a lower tray; 
 attaching second sides of the battery cells to the lower tray; and 
 connecting the lower tray and the upper tray with a threaded fastener, wherein threads of the threaded fastener are threaded into and directly engage either of the lower tray and the upper tray, and wherein the threaded fastener is adjacent to more than four of the battery cells. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the threaded fastener is configured to connect the lower tray to the upper tray with a protrusion. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the protrusion is configured to transfer a vertical force between the upper and lower trays. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein while the protrusion transfers the vertical force between the upper and lower trays, the battery cells transfer substantially no force between the upper and lower trays. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the protrusion is at least partly integrated with the lower tray. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the protrusion is at least partly integrated with the upper tray. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the protrusion is separate from the upper and lower trays. 
     
     
       15. An electric vehicle powered by a battery pack, the battery pack comprising:
 an upper tray; 
 a first busbar attached to the upper tray; 
 a lower tray; 
 a second busbar attached to the lower tray; 
 a plurality of battery cells arranged in the upper and lower trays; and 
 a threaded fastener mechanically connecting the lower tray to the upper tray, wherein threads of the threaded fastener are threaded into and directly engage either of the lower tray and the upper tray, and wherein the threaded fastener is adjacent to more than four of the battery cells. 
 
     
     
       16. The electric vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the threaded fastener is configured to connect the lower tray to the upper tray with a protrusion. 
     
     
       17. The electric vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the protrusion is configured to transfer a vertical force between the upper and lower trays. 
     
     
       18. The electric vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein while the protrusion transfers the vertical force between the upper and lower trays, the battery cells transfer substantially no force between the upper and lower trays. 
     
     
       19. The electric vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the protrusion is at least partly integrated with the lower tray. 
     
     
       20. The electric vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the protrusion is at least partly integrated with the upper tray. 
     
     
       21. The electric vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the protrusion is separate from the upper and lower trays.